1.
to be like a parent in character or looks
“She takes after her mother.”
“I take after my dad, we both love football.”
“He takes after his grandfather.”
Synonyms: to resemble, to look like
Phrasal verb
What does take after mean?
Meaning: to be like an older family member
B1
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Quick answer
Take after = to be like an older member of your family (in character or in looks). She takes after her mother = she is like her mother. It is not separable. It is very useful when you describe your family.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
Word order
Inseparable
The object goes after the particle, never between the verb and the particle.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- take after
- Past Simple:
- took after
- Past participle:
- taken after
- -ing form:
- taking after
Common mistakes to avoid
Take after or look like?
Look like = to be similar in looks only. Take after = to be similar in looks and/or in character, and only with a member of your family. She looks like Emma Watson (looks, a famous person) / She takes after her mother (family).
Not separable, and only for family
Take after is not separable: take after her ✓ / take her after ❌. You use it only with a member of your family, not with a friend or a famous person: I take after my best friend ❌.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: take after
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Take after: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
Understanding a rule is only the first step. On PLAY, you use it in real situations, at your own pace, until it becomes automatic.
Practise “take after” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersTake after: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
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English contestTake after: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does take after mean?+
Take after = to be like an older member of your family (in your looks or in your character). She takes after her mother = she is like her mother. You use it only for close family.
What is the difference between take after and look like?+
Look like = to be similar in your looks to anyone (You look like David Beckham). Take after = to be like a member of your family, in your looks or in your character.
Is take after separable?+
No, it is not separable. She takes after her mum ✓ / She takes her mum after ❌. With a pronoun: she takes after her ✓.
What is the past simple of take after?+
Took after. As a child, she always took after her father. Take → took → taken.
Which family members can you use with take after?+
Any older member of your close family: mother, father, mum, dad, grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunt. It is less common with a sister or a brother (people usually say look like or be like).
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/take-after
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.